‘I have young children, I have a wife. This is utterly unacceptable’ – Taoiseach reacts after bomb scare at his family home

The hoax led to a security alert at the Taoiseach’s Wicklow home while his wife and young children were present.

He said on arrival for a summit in Brussels: "I’m staying in my home. This is a clearly unacceptable situation. Even the word hoax, I'm not sure it's fair word because I've no doubt these things are done to intimidate and to upset.

“I have young children, and I have a wife. This is an utterly unacceptable situation. I do think, and I say this really respectfully, that all of us in our discourse, including the media, need to reflect on how we sometimes comment on these matters.

“You know, if it's masked men who have turned up outside your house, it wouldn't be described as a protest. It's not protest when it happens outside my house.

“And this situation can’t be allowed to continue.”

It is understood a person rang the Samaritans helpline on Wednesday evening and stated that a bomb had been placed at the house of Mr Harris, while also giving a code word.

Gardaí rushed to the Harris home, where a search was carried out.

No device was found and the Taoiseach’s family did not have to be evacuated.

While the incident is now being treated as a hoax, security sources have expressed serious concerns.

“This is outrageous. This is a family home,” one source said.

“This is a young family who have been subjected to three incidents at their home in the past 11 weeks.”

Protests led by far-right activists have taken place at Mr Harris’ home in recent weeks, which gardaí are investigating as acts of harassment.

In the most recent incident, masked persons arrived at the property, while three people were arrested last week as part of the garda investigations into the intimidation and harassment.

The investigations are being led by the Special Detective Unit, the Garda’s counter terror branch.

The home of Justice Minister Helen McEntee has also been the subject of hoax bomb threats recently, with her family evacuated a number of times.

Commenting previously on the recent security threats, Mr Harris said: “Of course there’s the distinction between protest and some of the carry-on that we see outside certain people’s homes. I’m speaking broadly in relation to that, and certain scenarios around the country.

“Protest is a fundamental part of democracy. Protesting does not equate to thuggery. I know the difference. I’m glad the guards know the difference, and the people of Ireland are certainly aware of the difference as well.

“I’m very grateful to An Garda Síochána for their incredible work.”

Ms McEntee also last week said such incidents would not be tolerated.

“I’m not blind to the environment in which politicians are working,” she said. “We’ve seen how during the most recent election candidates were subjected to abuse, and in some instances, physical attacks. It’s not acceptable. It’s not OK.

“We have to say very clearly, it’s not something that we’re going to tolerate.

“But also, the gardaí’s response has been very clear that anybody who engages in anything other than legitimate protest – which we all support – that is crossing a line and we’ll push back on that.

“But also, there are those who wish to obstruct the work of politicians, there are those who wish to sow division and instil fear.

“What we have to ensure is that they do not – the very small minority who are doing this – have an impact on those who are in public life.”

It is understood senior garda management have changed their policy and have become more proactive in how they manage far-right protests at politicians’ homes.

This is intended to “send a message” to far-right protesters – that targeting politicians at their family home is not “fair game”.